CVE-2026-23988: Rufus is a utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives

Q: How do I fix CVE-2026-23988?

rufus: upgrade to 4.12. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2026-23988 being exploited?

CVE-2026-23988 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2026-23988 affect?

CVE-2026-23988 affects rufus. Severity is high (CVSS 7.3). Rufus is a utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives. Versions 4.11 and below contain a race condition (TOCTOU) in src/net.c during the creation, validation, and execution of the Fido PowerShell script. Since Rufus runs

Q: How urgent is CVE-2026-23988?

Priority 33/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Routine

HIGH 7.3UPGRADE

CVE-2026-23988 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.3) affecting rufus. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Rufus is a utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives. Versions 4.11 and below contain a race condition (TOCTOU) in src/net.c during the creation, validation, and execution of the Fido PowerShell script. Since Rufus runs with elevated privileges (Administrator) but writes the script to the %TEMP% directory (writeable by standard users) without locking the file, a local attacker can replace the legitimate script with a maliciou

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.3 (High)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	Required
EPSS exploit chance	0.2% (top 89%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-367
Published	2026-01-22
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: akeo

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2026-01-22 22:16 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 10:22 UTCUpdated Record last modified

akeo rufus UPGRADE

Affected: < 4.12

Fixed in: 4.12

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy rufus || rpm -q rufus || rufus --version

2. UPGRADE to 4.12 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade rufus

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade rufus

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2026-23988?

rufus: upgrade to 4.12. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2026-23988 being exploited?

CVE-2026-23988 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2026-23988 affect?

CVE-2026-23988 affects rufus. Severity is high (CVSS 7.3). Rufus is a utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives. Versions 4.11 and below contain a race condition (TOCTOU) in src/net.c during the creation, validation, and execution of the Fido PowerShell script. Since Rufus runs

How urgent is CVE-2026-23988?

Priority 33/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Software pages

PowerShell vulnerabilities

References

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